Horse, Headless Horseman take fall at Disney Halloween event

The Headless Horseman character that rides ahead of the parade at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party took a tumble after his horse lost its footing at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012.

The Headless Horseman character that rides ahead of the parade at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party took a tumble after his horse lost its footing at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012.

The horse fell during his normal paces before the "Boo to You" Parade. A YouTube video shows the animal falling in the Liberty Square area as it turned toward Main Street. In the video, the horse quickly scrambles to its feet. The rider, a cast member costumed to look like the Headless Horseman of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" fame, hits the ground but was not trapped by the animal's body. The cast member is briefly seen standing and walking away.

Another video shows the horseman remounting. Disney confirmed that the duo completed their route through the Magic Kingdom, but they did not participate in the evening's second parade because they were undergoing evaluations.

Early indications are that the incident was not weather-related, Disney said. It had rained Monday, but it had stopped several hours earlier, a Disney spokeswoman said. There is a rain plan for the event, she said, in which the horse walks and trots the parade route rather than gallops.

The act will continue to be part of the Not-So-Scary event, which resumes Thursday night after regular park hours, Disney said.

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